Indirect Optimization of Underactuated Spacecraft Formation Reconfiguration in Elliptic Orbits
Publication: Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 34, Issue 1
Abstract
This paper proposes analytical solutions to optimal underactuated spacecraft formation reconfiguration in elliptic orbits, without either the radial or in-track thrust. For either underactuated case, the dynamical model of underactuated formation reconfiguration was developed, based on which the system controllability and reconfiguration feasibility then were analyzed. By using the indirect optimization method, a detailed optimization procedure was designed, and the optimal trajectory of formation reconfiguration was derived analytically for the underactuated cases. A fully actuated optimal reconfiguration scheme was introduced to make comparisons. Numerical simulations indicated that the proposed optimal underactuated reconfiguration schemes can manage formation reconfiguration with a control cost similar to that of the fully actuated scheme, even in the absence of radial or in-track thrust. Numerical comparisons with existing nonoptimal reconfiguration schemes further verified that the proposed optimal schemes can perform underactuated formation reconfiguration in an energy-optimal way.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. The available items include the data used in the numerical simulations, the models of underactuated spacecraft formation, and the code of the optimal control schemes proposed in this paper.
Acknowledgments
The authors express their gratitude to the reviewers and editors for their valuable and constructive comments that helped to greatly enhance the quality of this paper. This work was supported in part by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation under Grant No. 2019M660667, in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 61690213, and in part by the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province under Grant No. 2017JJ2302.
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Published In
Journal of Aerospace Engineering
Volume 34 • Issue 1 • January 2021
Copyright
© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 18, 2019
Accepted: Jul 22, 2020
Published online: Sep 17, 2020
Published in print: Jan 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Feb 17, 2021
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